A long time ago our basketball coach made us run sprints, and then get on the line and make free throws. He was trying to create the heart racing, and shortness of breath that would be more typical of a game time situation.


Have you ever done this with your archery practice routine?


I tried it one year.   I found an old stair stepper at a garage sale and put it in the yard on my practice range.

Before I quit for the evening,I would do 100 stairs as fast as I could, then jump off and Shoot one good arrow.


My friend and I also would go to 3-D shoots, forget about the scores,  and wear our packs and hunting gear like we were hunting and run to each target.


It does add a little spice to your practice session.

Yes, and it is when I started killing deer instead of missing them.

Yes, I ran some years ago, but now the running is more difficult than trying to control the nerves.  

My morning shooting routine is 650 to 800 Calorie workout on my Elliptical then put a few shots down the range dripping wet and puffing like a train. I don't know if that counts as stress but sure make you aware of breathing and your heart rate. In fact I just got done. I wasn't real happy with the results today but most days go pretty good  

Brian Sorrels Beginning Guide to Traditonal Archery recommends some stress at practice to simulate the real thing.  Makes sense.

to me a raise in heart rate due to physical activity is different than the raise in heart rate I get from buck fever.  That is just me . . . HOWEVER

I too have put myself in fake situations to help practice for that time

I film everything, and in the pre-season I thought it would be really cool to get a "from behind" shot. So with a camera right above the backside of the deer, more towards the tail vs closer towards the vitals I set up the camera and shot at the deer.

Boy let me tell ya it was VERY good practice, really got my shaken and I really had to focus on the spot and not the camera or I would not have a camera anymore, lol.

But that is what I do to train.

Why not induce real stress? All you need is a long set of jumper cables with three clamps attached to the right places with your wife/girlfriend holding the remaining clamp.  

HOOYAH! I do a full PT while shooting. Its a set of 8-count bodybuilders, then shoot 6, then a stack pushup set, shoot the other 6, abs, go get arrows, rinse, and repeat.

I have been shooting all this summer up till last night- with a guy that shoots a longbow. He has an interesting course set up with feed bags of plastic bags hanging on three straw bales- and has 5 of the set ups.

I have had target panic before; shooting in front of other people- that is stressful in itself - just to shoot with him.

But sometimes my heavy hunting arrows go through the target completely - and sometimes a few inches poke out the back of the target.

And sometimes I hit the bulls-eye and my arrow will bounce out.

And sometimes I just flamdangle the shot and miss.

Here is the stress- he has a Labrador dog- that will break off any arrow sticking out the back of the target; snap an arrow in half if its stuck outside the target - and chew your arrow in half - about half the time it fetches a flyer.

I think shooting at any game animal this year is going to be really relaxing.

I have six arrows left for hunting after last nights crunches.

   

I agree with chris.

Quote "to me a raise in heart rate due to physical activity is different than the raise in heart rate I get from buck fever. That is just me . . . "

I was in good shape for my first archery elk hunt and still shot over my first bull    but had I not been in that kind of shape I would not have had the pleasure of the miss  :(  

I don't know how a person would duplicate that kind stress?

QuoteOriginally posted by coaster500:
I agree with chris.

Quote "to me a raise in heart rate due to physical activity is different than the raise in heart rate I get from buck fever. That is just me . . . "

I was in good shape for my first archery elk hunt and still shot over my first bull     but had I not been in that kind of shape I would not have had the pleasure of the miss   :(  

I don't know how a person would duplicate that kind stress?

One simply can't duplicate it, but, one can at the very least get accustomed to shooting while under physical stress----learning to get control of your breathing being the main point. The SEALs do it, the FBI does it. It works.